Banding

Bubbas Boys · #1 05/28/14, 07:10 AM

What is time frame that we need to band our new bucks to weather them? Thanks!

mammabooh · #2 05/28/14, 08:12 AM

We did ours at 7 weeks old this year, and I wished at the time we would have done it sooner. There are all sorts of opinions...some say a week or two, while others say to wait until several months old.

dozedotz · #3 05/28/14, 10:43 AM

Yeah, I have read lots of articles that encourage you to wait until 6 months on a wether that is going to be used as a pack goat or a "friend" The reason is that the ureters or urethra (sp?) need to develop fully and thus cause less chance of getting a urinary problem with the boys. If they are going to be wethered so they can stay safely be with the girls after 8 weeks of age and continue to be dam raised by mom, ultimately for meat...then we do it BEFORE 8 weeks.

MDKatie · #4 05/28/14, 10:44 AM

Eh, bucks can still get UC. I like to do it by 8 weeks, no later. I waited until 12 weeks once and my bander wouldn't do it, had to use the calf bander, and it was hard on the kid. It got infected, and he was majorly stressed out. So now I do it at 8 weeks.

CJBegins · #5 05/28/14, 11:38 AM

Dear Lord don't wait until 12 weeks if you are going to use the little green bands. Things wouldn't fit for my little goat, now wethered. I cut him and that isn't the way I prefer. I thought my husband was gonna pass out due to the blood. Nothing excessive but more than a couple of drops and hubby gets woozy!

MDKatie · #6 05/28/14, 11:56 AM

I wouldn't wait 12 weeks if you're going to cut. If you're going to cut, it needs to be done earlier, IMO.